Ephrem Feeley’s A joy for all the earth is the official hymn for the World Meeting of Families 2018, taking in place in Dublin in August. Inspired by the document Amoris Laetitia – the Joy of Love – written in 2016 by Pope Francis following the Synods on the Family held the preceding two years, the text sets well-known words from 1 Corinthians 13, with a simple but strong people’s refrain. It was a good choice for our annual grand gathering of the Diocesan family.

At the end of today’s Gospel narrative of the Transfiguration, we hear Jesus’s stern instruction: As they came down from the mountain he warned them to tell no one what they had seen, until after the Son of Man had risen from the dead. (Mark 9:2-10). Malcolm Hill’s fiery medieval dance-like setting takes the corresponding words from Matthew, where our Lord’s words are given directly rather than reported: Tell no one about the vision you have seen,
until the Son of Man has risen from the dead. (Mt 17:9) The music, to my untutored ear reminiscent of Machaut or something similar from the fourteenth century*, was written in 1971 for the choir of St Mary the Virgin, Primrose Hill, where the composer was organist and choirmaster. An interesting find on the ICSLP web site.

*update: a bit of digging suggests maybe Léonin or Pérotin, which would make it late twelfth or early thirteenth century respectively. Medieval Parisian, anyway. Anyone more knowledgeable care to offer an opinion?

Welcome

This is a record of musical activities at St John's Cathedral, Salford - what we've been doing and what's coming up, and some thoughts on the musical planning process. You can also find information about joining the choir, and about our choral scholarships program.